MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 1
Won Alexander Cumyow played a leading role in the fight for voting rights for Chinese Canadians
Won Alexander Cumyow played a leading role in the fight for voting rights for Chinese Canadians.
September 23, 2024 Gatineau, Quebec Parks Canada
National historic designations recall moments of greatness and triumph or invite us to revisit complex and painful moments that helped define the Canada of today. By bringing these stories back to Canadians, we hope to foster greater understanding and spark discussion about the histories, cultures and realities of Canada’s history.
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of Won Alexander Cumyow as a person of national historic significance under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration.
Born in 1861 in Port (Fort) Douglas, British Columbia, Won Alexander Cumyow was the first known person of Chinese descent to be born in what would become Canada. While he hoped to become a lawyer and articled at two law firms, discriminatory laws prevented him from voting and practicing law. As a community broker and court interpreter, he advocated for the rights of people of Chinese origin and descent in Canada in the early 20th century. He fought to end racist voting laws and voted for the first time in 1949, at the age of 88, two years after Chinese Canadians regained the right to vote.
Throughout his life, Mr. Cumyow was an active community activist and was often called upon to serve as a leader, speaker or translator at activities organized by Chinese and Asian Canadians to combat racism.
The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration relies largely on nominations from the public. To date, more than 2,240 designations have been made nationally. To nominate a historic person, place or event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/proposer-nominate.
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“I can think of no more fitting person to receive this honour than Won Alexander Cumyow. An iconic figure in Canadian history, he exemplifies the perseverance and resilience of Chinese-Canadian pioneers. For over thirty years, he dedicated himself to his community from his office in Vancouver’s Chinatown, using his legal and linguistic skills to help it settle. At the national level, he was a strong advocate for equal rights, playing a crucial role in shaping the inclusive country we are privileged to call home.”
Carol Lee, President of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation.
Oliver AndersonDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change819-962-0686oliver.anderson@ec.gc.ca
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.